x1achilles

Are (no-hunting) safari operators in mid southern Africa any good? For example Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia? I have heard that Cape Town is a much better (and cheaper) place to arrange these. Anyone know? I am not interested in high end safaris to Kenya, Kilimanjaro area or South Africa.

obscure2k

Moving thread to the FT Africa Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Thalassa

I have first hand experience from Uganda and had a very good experience from a local operator called Kazinga Tours.

I am pretty sure you can find some very good options from Zambia and Namibia, Zimbabwe might still be a bit marginal due to the shenanigans of Uncle Bob, though things seem to have calmed down even there.

Cheers,
T.

Alpha Golf

not sure what your criteria are, but you might also look at Botswana. Chobe = incredible.

n12hx

We went to Zimbabwe for our honeymoon, and had a great time with no issues. Booked everything through Africa Adventure company, who actually run quite a few programs in Zim. I would bet that you could probably do your research on the operators that they use and then book things yourself if you wanted.

If you do go to Zim, Mana Pools was one of the most incredible places I've ever been. Great wildlife, hardly any other visitors, and some great guides made for an incredible few days.

johan rebel

Absolutely. All these countries are excellent safari destinations. If you are keen on visiting all three, then Wilderness Safaris is undoubtedly your best bet, as they have the largest and best portfolio of lodges to choose from.

Johan

IAN-UK

Zambia is in the top league in the safari game. But the high quality doesn't come cheap: it's pretty much top of the price table, too.

SafariCraig

Hi X1achhilles,

Zambia and Zimbabwe are amazing safari destinations. I have visited at least 90% of the four-star and above photo safari lodges in these two countries in the past 24 months. Both are a little easier to understand than Botswana or South Africa since there are less options to overwhelm the novice traveler. Here are my generic thoughts on Zimbabwe and Zambia then I included a condensed trip report on my 26 day September 2012 trip to Zambia below.

I will address one other question first: It is not cheaper to book a safari in Botswana, Zimbabwe, or Zambia with a South Africa based tour operator. The cost of a safari in these countries depends on two factors: (1) how much the tour operator pays for the safari and (2) how much they mark-it up. There are several big time safari operators for Zambia and Zimbabwe in the USA with the highest volume, lowest net prices and most buying power. There are some firms in Cape Town that advertise things like “cheaper than booking direct” but it depends what you are buying from them… Most people are not looking for the cheapest safari but more often the best safari. The best safari comes when you engage with a firm that is 100% independent and not owned by a lodge chain. A good tour operator will contract directly with ever four-star and above lodge in Africa and they only bias their opinions with personal experience.

I will try to discuss Zambia and Zimbabwe in detail. You can choose one country and have a complete safari in 7-9 days. Or, you can pick-and-choose parks and combine several of the countries or do a longer, more comprehensive safari. The weather in both countries is pretty similar. The summer from October to February is hot and this is the rainy season. Daily highs can be in 105-115F along the Zambezi River Valley in October and November. Many lodges shut down from Nov-Apr. Daily highs at the remaining lodges that are open in Zimbabwe and Zambia can be 95-100 in November-February. The best overall weather in both countries is in August and September. South Luangwa National Park has the warmest weather in Southern Africa in June and July only getting to about 50F at night and 75-80F in the day.

ZAMBIA
Zambia is an extremely seasonal safari destination with a short peak season from mid-June through early November. The wildlife viewing is seasonal and most lodges are shutdown from November through April. August/September is the best month. Most people taking a first-time Safari to Zambia would include one lodge in the Kafue National Park (KNP) one Lodge in Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP) and one or two lodges in the South Luangwa National Park (SLNP). If you only had six days for safari then I recommend skipping the KNP. LZNP is unique because, along with its sister park across the River in Zimbabwe called Mana Pools, this is the only place in Africa you can have a safari on a major river. Massive herds of elephants concentrate on the banks of the Zambezi in the dry season along with many other animals and predators. The lodges in LZNP are all built right on the banks of the Zambezi. SLNP is one of the most game rich parks in Southern Africa. On my last trip there I saw lion on every game drive and leopard on every night drive for seven straight days. Hiking safaris are also on offer in SLNP and many people do them. KNP offers a major flood plain and some unique bird and mammal species. One unique thing about Zambia is that there are many owner run safari lodges where the owner lives at the camp. Here are some samples of lodges we work with in Zambia:

KNP (choose one for three nights)
• Shumba - $$$
• Busanga Bush Camp - $$

LZNP (choose one for three nights)
• Old Mondoro - $$$
• Chiawa - $$$$^
• Sausage Tree Camp - $$$$^
• Chongwe - $$$
• Kasaka - $$
• Baines - $$$$$

SLNP (choose one for three nights + maybe one night at Mfuwe Lodge or Kapama)
• Robin Pope (a chain of lodges)
• Bush Camp Company (a chain of lodges)^
• Norman Carr (a chain of lodges)
• Shenton Safaris (one of my favorite operated by Derek Shenton)^
• Remote Africa Safaris (another favorite as the owner, John Coppenger lives at Tafika)^
• Puku Ridge (a luxury lodge in SLNP)
• Lion Camp (my favorite luxury lodge in the park)^

ZIMBABWE
In my opinion, Zimbabwe is the best value (best safari for least money) in all of Africa. There are three national parks here and one massive private conservancy that we work with. All three national parks are far away from each other and can offer a complete and balanced safari experience in their peak season of June-October. The first one is Hwange National Park (HNP) which is approximately a 45 minute charter flight from Victoria Falls. I have been to every permanent lodge in the park. During the worst of Zimbabwe's political isolation most of the lodges in the HNP shut down and there are now only a few left that Americans go to. With the re-birth of travel to Zimbabwe over the past few years everyone is reopening as fast as possible. HNP is a year-round destination (the only one open all year) but has a prolific peak season from June through October. HNP is also a big five safari destination but Rhino sightings are rare. Of all the lodges in the Hwange, we recommend visiting only one on any particular trip as they are all close and the animals can go from one place to the next. The Wilderness Safari properties in HNP are on a private concession so the game drive areas are exclusive. The other camps in HNP share game drive areas with other lodges and self-drive campers. The second major national Park in Zimbabwe is Mana Pools National Park (MPNP). There also only three permanent lodges open in MPNP and a few seasonal tented camps. Ruckomechi is the camp we use the most in MPNP and is also the only one on a private concession in that park. Like LZNP in Zambia, MPNP in Zimbabwe gives the water experience and is on the Zambezi River. Remember that LZNP and MPNP are the same ecosystem but they are across the River from each other so one is in Zambia and one in Zimbabwe. MPNP, on the banks of a major river, juxtaposes with HNP which is an open-plains, dry-land safari. The third national park in Zimbabwe is Matusadona National Park (MNP). This park is on the banks of Lake Kariba which is a lake made by the damming of the Zambezi River. Rhino sightings are more common here than any other national park in Zimbabwe, Botswana, or Zambia. We work with the three properties in Matusadona. MPNP and MNP are both shut-down each year from mid-November through May. There is also a Singita property in Zimbabwe called Pamushana which is EXCELLENT. This property offers the same service and luxury as Singita in South Africa but it is 60% less. I have been to every permanent lodge in the HNP and MPNP. Here are the options in the various parks. A nine day circuit here would work great with your budget.

Hwange NP (choose one for three nights)
• Little Makalolo – on a private concession^
• Davisons – on a private concession
• The Hide^
• Somalisa
• Sikuma Tree Lodge (just outside the park - budget)
• Ivory Lodge (just outside the park - budget)
• Miombo (just outside the park – budget)
• Camp Hwange (Sinamatell area closest to Vic Falls)

Matusadona NP (choose one for three nights)
• Rhino Safari Camp (owner lives on site!)
• Musango (owner lives on site!)^

Mana Pools NP (choose one for three nights)
• Ruckomechi – on a private concession^
• Kanga
• Vundu – no web site
• Goliath
• Mana Pools Safari Company
• Zambezi Life Styles
• Ruwezi Canoeing – no web site


Here is some comparative information if you have been to South Africa or Botswana and are comparing them to Zambia or Zimbabwe:

• Big five viewing: In Southern Africa, only the Sabi Sands or highly engineered Phinda can offer a virtual guarantee of big five sightings. Phinda may not be able to offer leopards. Both SLNP and LZNP offer the big four. In ten days on safari in both parks I saw lion on every game drive and one or more leopard on every night drive. These predator statistics are on par with the Sabi Sands and better than any statistics I have ever achieved in Botswana or Zimbabwe. The Sand River Valley at Singita Ebony & Boulders along with MalaMala is often said to be the best leopard habitat in Africa. Both SLNP and LZNP offer the same in their peak season of June-October. The only thing the Sabi Sands can offer uniquely is white rhino which can be seen at Toka Leya in the Livingstone area.

• Animal Diversity: IMO, a June-October safari in SLNP and LZNP will result in more total mammal species seen than a safari during the same time period in Botswana. Hwange will still offer the greatest mammal diversity (total unique species observed) than all of them but has an overall lower density of many species, except elephant and buffalo. Hwange has no hippos or crocodiles. Add Kafue and you will see almost all major antelope species except the Kalahari varieties.

• Animal density: The Chobe River systems, including the Selinda, Savuti, & Savute channels have the highest concentration of elephants on earth in the dry season. You will also see many elephants on every game drive or hike in both SLNP and LZNP. Averaged across all species, non-predator concentrations are comparable in all these ecosystems: SLNP, LZNP, Mana Pools, Hwange, Chobe/Linyanti/Selinda and the Okavango Delta. SLNP has the highest hippo density in Africa purportedly because of the undisturbed river and the effect it has on flood plains, ox bows, and other lagoons. All these natural river features create food sources and alternate habitat for hippos. Because of the undisturbed Luangwa River which allows for natural spawning processes, the fish population in the Luangwa Valley is very healthy and therefore the crocodiles also occur in arguably the highest density in Africa.

• Unique ecosystem: Many people visit the Okavango Delta for the unique, undisturbed ecosystem. Botswana has done a great job marketing this attribute and guests will often note the Delta as their core reason for visiting. The South Luangwa River is one of the largest undammed rivers in Africa. It is the largest undammed river that flows through a major wildlife area. This makes the ecosystem in the Luangwa Valley unique in not so subtle ways. Undisturbed by man, the River is allowed to go through its natural flood cycle beginning in December to March which creates rich and fertile flood plains. These flood plains subsequently dry out, beginning in April. The peak water level is usually in March and the River quickly lowers in level when the rains stop. This process leaves rich, fertile, and nutritious flora on seasonally dry flood plains ideal for June-October game drives while retaining enough water in pools, ponds, or center-line channels to have many hippo and crocodile pools throughout the park (and concentrated drinking water). In my personal experience, the hippo and crocodile hide at Luwi Bush Camp was an exceptional afternoon activity and the view of the flood plain in front of Chindene and Lion Camp was outstanding. There are also many oxbow lakes and lagoons created by the ever changing course of the river. One of them, in front of Lion Camp, was just formed in 1978 when the River changed course and the now mostly dry ox-bow that was created provides diverse sightings directly in front of the camp.

On the contrary, the damming of the Zambezi at Lake Kariba in 1954 has greatly altered the effect the Zambezi River has on Mana Pools and LZNP. In addition to no longer changing course so dramatically or flooding cyclically, the dam has also disrupted the fish spawning cycle as the floods now occur in February instead of May (when Victoria Falls peaks) and create a different annual temperature profile for the water. The dam flood gates are only opened in February (thereabouts) if the engineers anticipate heavy rains will fill the dam in May.

The dam regulates the lows and highs of the Zambezi and since the dam is there to provide electric power there is significant thermal pollution in the river below the dam (not to mention complete destruction of the Delta where the Zambezi empties into the Indian Ocean). In a dam, hydroelectric turbines are built at the lowest possible level to maximize pressure from the dam-side water in turning the turbines to make electricity. The water at the bottom of Lake Kariba is 20-30F colder than the natural water temperature or surface temperature and this is the water that feeds the river below the dam. The regulated floods and cold water both effect spawning and the cold water causes crocodiles to spend more time out of the water which has increased their human interaction rate which is never good for the crocodile.

Don’t get me wrong, the Zambezi offers a very unique experience that can easily be juxtaposed against the Okavango Delta. You also MUST consider LZNP to get a complete Zambia circuit. I am simply providing this extra information that is seemingly negative on Mana Pools and LZNP to further illustrate that the Luangwa River is equally authentic when compared to the Okavango and it is more authentic (or natural) than lower Zambezi. You can’t find a place as undisturbed as the Luangwa Valley anywhere else in Africa because of dams and man-made influences.

• Weather: SLNP is going to be hotter than most other major Southern Africa wildlife areas in October. Nighttime temperatures can become uncomfortable starting around mid-to-late September and daily highs will be 105-115F by October. Heat-averse guests should avoid this last month of the peak season. Rates also drop on October 1 at many lodges because of the heat. On the contrary, SLNP has the mildest winter so June and July safaris are great for cold-averse guests that are considering Botswana during this time. Animal dispersion may be a bit higher in June and July compared to August or September but the scenery will be slightly greener for good photography. SLNP’s night time temperature in the coldest months is only around 50F. This is, on average, warmer than most other ecosystems of Southern Africa that time of year. You can contrast this to the near freezing temperatures in Botswana and Hwange at the same time of the year. The three mornings I had in Hwange in July 2011 were 33, 29, and 33F. Hwange sees temperatures in July around 20F for a few mornings every few years. Mana Pools and LZNP are the same weather as they are on opposite banks of the Zambezi River in sight of one another. The coldest mornings are around 40F in June and July. Both Mana Pools and LZNP will be over 100F in the day during October.

• Luxury Camps: LZNP has luxury camps on par with Botswana. Baines River Lodge is in the same league as South Africa’s ultra-luxury lodges and a Singita Guest could go here. Sausage Tree is on par with luxury lodges in Botswana including Mombo and gives all South Africa properties a “run for their money” except perhaps Singita. Puku Ridge in SLNP and Shumba in Kafue compare well against many luxury lodges in Botswana but, in fairness, is a small step below Zarafa, Jao, Mombo, Kings Pool, and Vumbura Plains. Lion Camp in SLNP and Chiawa in LZNP are on par with any of the best new classic Wilderness Safari camps and have a more comfortable and luxurious common area than any classic camp. With a few aforementioned exceptions, generally, the rest of the accommodations are more rustic than classic Wilderness Safari camps and some are much more rustic.

• Safari Vehicle Density: Although both LZNP and SLNP are national parks with no private concessions, the vehicle densities are incredibly low and lower than most private South African game reserves. LZNP does have a high use area around the Mfuwe Gate where camps like Flat Dogs, Mfuwe Lodge and Kapani game drive. These can easily be mitigated in itinerary planning. Many of the bush camps have a “mother ship” camp near the Mfuwe Gate as well (for example, Bushcamp Company owns Mfuwe Lodge and Norman Carr owns Kapani both with 18 beds). This does exacerbate the high use zone near the Mfuwe gate as previously mentioned. On top of this, the loops and road network near Mfuwe are not made in the best manner which does create more vehicle sightings than many or our clients would prefer. Remote lodges like Shenton Safaris grate their own road network at the beginning of the season to maximize sightings. Vehicle density IS NOT AN ISSUE in SLNP because all the camps I recommend are in the southern or northern part of the park far away from the gate.

There are no self-drive camp sites in the park and all guests not staying at a permanent camp have to be out by 8pm. It is almost impossible for a self-driver to be near any of the bush camps owned by Bushcamp Company, Norman Carr, Robben Pope, Shenton, or Remote Africa safaris as they simply can’t get to the game drive areas from the gate in less than 2 hours and usually more like 4. The lodges are incredibly remote and therefore private. Tafika is on private land adjacent to the park and they game drive in the Nsefu sector and walk in the northern part of SLNP. On drives throughout the southern and northern part of the park I would see one or two vehicles per day on our drives but often it was from the same camp or the same company. I saw much less vehicles per game drive in SLNP than I have ever seen at a private lodge in the Sabi Sands and the sightings are comparable to Botswana. We never queued for a sighting or were disturbed in any unpleasant way. In LZNP, because of distance, it is almost impossible for a guest from a lodge in the west-side GMA (Chongwe, Kasaka, Baines, Royal Zambezi) to get to the game drive areas of the camps in the LZNP except they could possible get to the Chiawa area for a brief period of time in the middle of the activity period before having to turn back. Sausage Tree and Old Mondoro are impossibly far from the gate and also from each other so you will rarely, if ever, see other vehicles except from the same camp. While on a Chongwe game drive I did see Kasaka and Baines vehicles at a lion sighting in the western section of the LZNP. The guides are all from the same local area and they text each other with the prime sightings.

• Activities: When it comes to activities, LZNP and SLNP have a major advantage over all major wildlife areas of Southern Africa with the exception of Mana Pools. SLNP offers hiking and game drives at all camps. Several camps have excellent hides for daytime use and Tafika offers micro-lighting and biking. LZNP offers hiking, fishing, game drives, boating, and canoeing at all properties I recommend. These diverse activities can easily extend the number of nights on safari from 7-9 up to 10-12 for typical first time travelers.

Costs:
“Guesstimating” the cost of a Zambia safari is rather simple. The lodges include the airport/airstrip transfers in their rates so all you need to do is add the flying costs to the camp costs. Here is an estimate of flying costs for a typical trip (rounded-up to the nearest $25 increment in 2012 prices):
Lusaka-Mfuwe $250
Mfuwe-Lower Zambezi (Jeki or Royal) $425
Lower Zambezi to Lusaka $200
M&G in Lusaka $20 per M&G
Safaris in LZNP (Aug & Sep) $600-$1,000 pppn sharing
Safaris in SLNP (Aug & Sep) $600-$1,000 pppn sharing
A ten day LZNP & SLNP safari in peak season is therefore about $7,000-$11,000 per person sharing in August & September. The safari I lodge rates are typically 20-30% less in the shoulder seasons of June, July, and October.

A typical 8 day safari in Zimbabwe is about $6,000-$6,500 per person using the best lodges and including flights. Any other lodge other than what I consider "best" would be cheaper.

I hope this helps.

Craig Beal – owner – Travel Beyond
2011 & 2012 Travel & Leisure A-List agent for Zimbabwe and Botswana

Thalassa

Wonderful, informative post. Thank you so much, Craig!

johan rebel

Wow, Craig, a comprehensive reply if I ever saw one!

I would add Thornybush (yep, also highly engineered), and certain lodges in the Timbavati and the Klaserie. Another possible candidate is Bongani (haven't been there for years, though). Pafuri would have been on the list as well, if it were not for Zimbabwean and Mozambican bushmeat and trophy hunters constantly throwing spanners in the works. That mostly affects lion sightings, which has had the perverse effect of vastly improving leopard viewing.

The Sabi Sands is, to put it bluntly, an environmental mess. It has become a bit of a predator park with extensive veld clearing, a waterhole on every corner and 600 blue wildebeest chucked in every now and then to keep the large carnivores happy.

An environmental assessment conducted a few years ago gave the Sabi Sands a score of 1/10. The Timbavati managed 3/10, and the Klaserie 5/10. Unfortunately, I was never able to lay my hands on a copy of the report, so I cannot not provide any specifics.

Johan

BA304

Indeed!

gemdigital

Well done SafariCraig! I think you should be into publishing the way you've layed this out.

Thank you!

SafariCraig

Thanks guys/gals. I am glad you like my writing - it is something I work hard at.

Forrest Bump

Awesome SafariCraig.
Printed out for future use.
Skipped Zim/Zam this year due the high costs, but this is a trip certainly to be done.

pbarnette

Thanks for the info. Very, very useful.